The present invention relates to the combination of the longitudinal side edge of a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, with a profiled strip that is made of elastomeric material, at least partially covers the longitudinal side edge, has a continuous central portion that in the longitudinal direction extends linearly or has a slight, especially constant, curvature, and to each side of the central portion has a respective side portion, whereby the central portion is frictionally or otherwise positively connected to a similarly continuous central portion of the longitudinal side edge, with at least one of the side portions of the profiled strip being continuously supported against an associated side portion of the longitudinal side edge of the vehicle.
Similar combinations of the longitudinal side edge of a motor vehicle and elastomeric profiled strip coverings are known, for example, from German Offenlegungsschrift 3 0 03 216, Kloppe et al dated Aug. 6, 1981 (Ford) German Offenlegungsschrift 31 50 027, Knudel dated June 23, 1983 (VW) and German Gebrauchsmuster 68 08 025, dated Nov. 21, 1968 (Citroen) where in particular the lateral connection of the sheet metal roof to the sheet metal sidewalls of motor vehicles is embodied in this manner, and the profiled strip that is disposed in this connection region serves to cover sharp sheet metal edges, to fill or cover longitudinal gaps that remain, and/or to provide a seal, especially relative to movable side parts of the automobile body, such as doors or windows. In addition, a groove or lip can be formed in or on the outer side of the profiled strip to form a rain gutter or a seal.
Up to now, this type of longitudinal side edge of a motor vehicle was generally constructed in such a way that that region thereof that was to be covered by a profiled strip had a cross-sectional contour that was constant over the entire longitudinal length of the side edge. The result was that a profiled strip having a similarly constant cross-sectional contour in the longitudinal direction could be continuously placed against the side edge with an exact fit. However, such a constant cross-sectional contour obviously implies a considerable limitation and compromise of the possibilities for the structural and aesthetic shape of the body of the vehicle. This is true because the builder and designer frequently did not have the freedom to dispose and configure the seam or abutment location of two body parts, especially the roof and one or more sidewall parts, which form the pertaining longitudinal side edge of the vehicle, in such a way that either an optimum strength of the automobile body, especially a maximum rigidity of the passenger compartment in the directions of stress that are critical when an accident occurs, or an aerodynamically and aesthetically optimum bodY shape results.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a longitudinal side edge and profiled strip combination of the aforementioned general type that eliminates the aforementioned limitations .